This invention relates generally to a lateral adjustment device for a printing press die and more particularly to a laterally adjustable journal bearing block.
Web-fed printing press dies which have on their surface engraved patterns are placed in contact with a hardened anvil roll with the web therebetween. The rotary die ends are carried by journal bearing blocks which are mounted in sliding relation in slots formed in the sideframes provided on each side of the printing press. The rotary dies require accurate lateral alignment with the anvil cylinder and it is desirable to provide for lateral adjustment of the die relative to the cylinder, that is, across the web.
In the past such lateral adjustment has most commonly been provided by providing shims at both ends between the journal bearing blocks and the die journal faces. This shimming is provided not only to register the die properly but also to remove slack to prevent the die from shifting laterally while the press is running. However, shimming in this way leads to considerable inconvenience when a minor adjustment is required since it is necessary to stop the press in order to re-shim.
Attempts have been made to overcome this objection by providing special bearing devices which shift the die journals within the bearing blocks. However, such devices tend to be complicated and bulky. They usually include pressure springs, thrust bearing, hand screws and other relatively expensive components to push the die toward gearside and allow spring pressure to return the die toward the operator side. Such special bearing devices tend to be bulky and difficult to load into the sideframe slots and also tend to be expensive.
The present lateral adjustment bearing block solves these and other problems in a manner not revealed in the known prior art.